Well, after a month in and out of hospital I'm finally taking my first steps back into the real world, and what better way to return than with one of the most exciting things that's dropped through the mailbox in, like, forever! Yes, as Robin and I are showing in the photo below, those lovely folks over at DFB sent us through our first two super-advance copies of BAGGAGE, and boy is it a beauty! The book is realeased in just under six weeks' time, so stay tuned for previews, exclusives, and news of launch party goodness!
Thanks to all who have helped me during my illness, I'll be doing a proper post on that next week!

Okay, so I wanted to come in here and say a few words about how grateful I am to everyone who looked after me, helped me and generally sent kind words and thoughts while I was in hospital. I was lucky enough to be visited every day by the people I love the most in the world, and their kindness towards me while I was so far under the weather meant so much to me and truly helped me get better. All the kind words sent to me in emails and on the message boards made me smile so much, so thank you guys for your awesomeness, I shall endeavor to return the favour with lots and lots of good stuff in here to make YOU smile.

Right, enough illness talk, let's draw a line under it and get on with the business proper. Please find attached my first piccie back at the drawing board after 4 weeks. This one's for you fine people.

Yes, 'tis true! We are just one month away from the launch of our brand new full length comic adventure, BAGGAGE! Whoop! News of book launches, exclusive sneak peeks, and a VERY special auction to come, only on The Etherington Brothers Blog! Stay tuned!

Secondly, one I meant to tell you about a while ago, but the announcement was made while I was in hospital, so I'm only now getting around to it!

I have a brand new Puzzle Adventure series coming in the new Phoenix comic, which launches in January next year. Entitled The Dangerous Adventures of Von Doogan, it should be a lot of fun.

But don't take my word for it, you can watch the awesome animated trailer for the series right HERE!

As part of the upcoming Bath Festival of Children's Literature (which we're appearing at on Sunday 2nd October with Baggage!) we were asked to write a chapter for a remarkable children's story that is being created live, day-to-day, by 20 fantastic authors. Each chapter will appear on a different blog, so you have to follow the links to read the entire magical story.

Seriously, the guys involved in this are huge, anyone heard of Paul Stewart and Chris Riddell?!!

GO HERE To read our chapter, then be sure to follow the links to the other chapters as they go live!

As you may well know, Robin and I are currently waist-deep in an Epic New Series. The complexity of the world in said series is throwing up lots of exciting new art challenges, and so I'm simultaneously creating technical experiment sketches, which allow me to tackle new and unusual textures/lighting/materials etc before I approach them on the page. Here is one of them. It will appear in the next one of these.

Something new from the world of Stranski today, my friends! Hope all your Fridays are starting out well! Lots to come very soon, including news of that auction, more sneak-peeks at Baggage, and some VERY new and exclusive art! Stay tuuuuuuuuuuuuned!

PLEASE NOTE: THIS AUCTION IS AVAILABLE WORLDWIDE! WE WILL DELIVER TO ANY LOCATION ON THE PLANET FOR FREE!

Okay, here we go! To celebrate the launch of our new book, BAGGAGE, we're giving you the chance to scoop yourself not only an original page of Lorenzo's comic art from the book itself, but also a whole heap of super-rare Etherington Brothers swag! If you're a fan, or you know someone for whom these goodies would make the BEST Christmas present EVER, then read on, 'cos we're only going to do this ONCE!

The artwork itself is the original inked page which appears as page 9 in the UK hardback edition of Baggage (Released the day this auction ends!). It is the FIRST and ONLY page of original comic art Lorenzo has ever sold.

But that's not all!!

The lucky winner will also be bagging themselves a seriously tasty bunch of additional "rare as hen's teeth"swag from the Etherington's own archives, including:

1) An original "Chunky Robot" Sketch by Lorenzo!
2) A signed and numbered (from the original run of 30) copy of the gloriously glossy MOON! WORKSHOP print.
3) A signed and numbered (from the original run of 20) copy of the gloriously glossy MALCOLM MAGIC IN THE MIDDLE print.
4) A copy of issue 22 of the DFC comic featuring the VERY RARE "Galleonpocalypse"Monkey Nuts cover.
5) The original PROOF copy of the discontinued El Sketchbook Lorenzo Volume 5.
6) An ink-dot ESCAPE postcard (seriously RARE! Never released!).
7) Your very own Malcolm Magic sketchbook to draw your doodles in (V, V, V RARE! only ten ever made!) A signed copy of the 11th MOON! mini sketchbook, only available at the Birmingham comic con in 2007. The final MOON! sketchbook we made.

Whew!

But wait! It just gets better!As this is an auction for YOU, the fans, so there is NO Start price, NO reserve, and we will deliver the prize ANYWHERE in the world POST FREE!!